An Introduction to Vintage Cocktails

Man at bar
From an illustration in “How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion” by Jerry Thomas. 1862

From time to time, I would like to feature classic cocktail recipes that I find in my research. I have been fascinated by the variety and history behind some of the vintage cocktails that I have encountered – from a particularly memorable afternoon sampling absinthe for the first time at Antoine’s in New Orleans (no – I didn’t go blind), to visiting a prohibition-style cocktail bar in San Antonio, I have fond memories in my travels involving vintage libations and would like to explore the world of classic cocktail making further.

I found a particularly useful introduction to cocktails in “The Gorham Cocktail Book,” 1905.

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